Hepatitis B and C: Risk of Liver Cancer

Topic Overview

People who are infected with
hepatitis B virus (HBV) or
hepatitis C (HCV) virus may develop a chronic
infection that can lead to
cirrhosis. The damage that results increases the risk
of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).

The risk of liver cancer
is greater for people who have
chronic HBV or HCV infection than for the general population.footnote 1

If you have chronic HBV infection:

You may develop liver cancer even if you do not
have cirrhosis. But most people who have HBV and liver cancer also have
cirrhosis.

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